The Rancher's Way of Life
Guest post by Clemson Montana Summer Program student Neelia Heath
When I first arrived in Montana, I had no idea what to
expect. All I had learned about the western culture were through movies like Flicka that I
watched as a child. At first when arriving in Billings, I was a
little hesitant. The place seemed desolate and I felt extremely out of place. I
had never seen so many casinos in my life!
However, slowly but surely, this place was growing on me. So,
you can imagine, I was excited when I heard we were going to be put to work on
Terry and LaVonne’s ranch. I had never worked up close with ranch animals
before. Most of the animals I have seen were in zoos or small enclosures, so I
was surprised to see how much land and freedom the cows and horses got! They
looked vibrant and healthy. It was a sort of freedom that I immediately became
attracted to. The land here is so peaceful and I truly respected the rancher’s
way of life. Terry and LaVonne were not afraid to dive in and let us dive in
too. I love herding up the heifers and interacting with them up close. It made
me think that I could do this for a while!
It was interesting to see the massive difference in
livestock in Montana compared to the livestock in South Carolina. It was easily
sighted just by passing by in a van. The Frost’s never seem to get any rest. I
felt extremely inexperienced and lazy compared to them. The whole group decided
to take a break in the Frost’s house and LaVonne was kind enough to make
cookies for us. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even finish baking the batter
because she immediately had to help Terry herd the cattle. The operation was
only supposed to take a few minutes but lasted a couple hours. I noticed that
time is very unpredictable and wonder if they get any vacation days at all.
Outsiders are so quick to judge a rancher’s way of life, yet
no one truly can know what goes on until you dive in and work on a ranch
yourself. For most, this is what they grew up on and how they make their money.
The livestock, of course, require extensive care, but I had no idea they were
prone to so many crazy diseases such as brucellosis, and a disease even us
humans can get from the cattle. Everything the rancher does not only affects
his way of life but millions of people as well! There are so many vaccinations,
nutritional standards, and operations to maintain the cattle, so it is nothing
like taking your 10 pound Chihuahua to the vet.
When we were working on the fences, I asked Terry who
usually does this tedious chore? He replied: “Oh just me and LaVonne”. So a
task that took eight of us is usually completed by two people. One of the
quotes Terry said that stuck with me: “Ranching won’t get you wealthy, but if
you enjoy it, it sure is a happy way of life.” Most of us, I myself included, find ourselves getting bored with the everyday mundane functions of life, but
you never know what to expect or how smoothly things will go on the ranch. I
would definitely love to intern at the Frosty Creek Ranch. I have already learned
so much in two days, imagine how much I would learn in a few months. It is a
peaceful way of living and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with others.
